


Sometimes

by Sjips



Category: The Yogscast
Genre: demigod!ridgedog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2014-08-04
Packaged: 2018-02-11 17:26:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2076699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sjips/pseuds/Sjips
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes Ridge wondered if they’d finally unraveled his darkest secret. And they only put up with him now because they feared him and his power.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sometimes

Sometimes, he wondered if they knew.  
An exasperated sigh at his antics that carried an undertone of something angrier. A sudden hush falling over the group when he popped up unannounced, and their sudden looks of guilt. The hurtful fact that some of them wouldn’t accept his invitations to the annual Monday Night Hydra Fight. I mean sure, having a demigod as your “friend” was a little odd, and Ridge knew that some of his suggestions and ideas weren’t exactly… well, sane. But still, sometimes he wondered if they’d finally unraveled the demigod’s secret. And they only put up with him now because they feared him.  
But then something would happen, like Xephos, Honeydew, and Lalna showing up out of the blue. The dwarf holding a packet of cookies and excitedly describing their new “Jaffa” factory. Xephos looking tired but satisfied, and Lalna happily poking around inside one of the many machines Ridge had in his tower. And Ridge would know that they didn’t know. Because he knew they wouldn’t pop up and want to talk to him if they knew his terrible secret.  
He watched their world, and he participated. He was their savior, god, and friend. He earned that trust slowly, and even in his less sane moments there was almost always one person to stand up for him.

 

He remembered the aftermath of one of his little “moments.” Sjin’s farm smoking in ruins, the product of many years of hard work gone in seconds; all from a simple “what if.” He remembered standing in the middle of the charred ground, the farmhouse burnt down, the barn gone, the animals scattered, smoke rising. Him in the center, polished boots and crooked smile, and he laughed because it was all too absurd. One moment he’d been talking to Sjin, the next he’d had a brilliant idea (brilliant to him anyway, and if it was dangerous, all the better!) and started manipulating the earth beneath his floating feet. But, unfortunately, he got a little… Distracted. And the next thing he knew, ka-boom! Sjin was cowering behind a rock, covered in dirt. And then just as suddenly, there were people all around. Running from their nearby bases, portaling in with space technology. (The explosion had been rather large, he must admit). Xephos was trying to control everyone’s panic, Sips had found Sjin and was carefully checking him for injury. Lalna took a sample of the charred earth for analysis, and Honeydew stood with his arms crossed, looking madder than ever.  
And still Ridge laughed on.

“OI! WHAT DID YOU DO?!” The bearded dwarf shouted at Ridge. Drawing himself up to his full height, he approached Ridge. “EY! DEMIGOD. STOP LAUGHING AND EXPLAIN WHAT FLIPPIN’ HAPPENED HERE!” It was the timely intervention of Lalna that kept Ridge from a dwarven fist to the groin.

Finally, when he could stop laughing and wipe the tears from his eyes, Ridge explained what he was trying to do. By melding together parts of plutonium and earth, the production rate of the farm would have tripled. It was fairly simple really, except… for a few unforeseen complications? Everyone simply stared. Honedew faceplamed. Xephos looked at Sjin, who was bruised and dirty, leaning on Sips for support. Sips looked like he wanted to punch Ridge, and Sjin was gripping his arm to hold him back.

Xephos knew he had to do something, as the resident diplomat between mortals and demigods.

“Look… Ridge, I’m sure we all appreciate your erm… help from time to time.” The spaceman said, and in the background Honeydew snorted at the word help. Xephos ran a hand through his brown hair, his face serious. “But it’s really gone too far lately. The volcano incident, owl island’s sudden overpopulation, people have been hurt, and now Sjin’s farm is gone. We really need to do something about your powers.”  
Ridge blinked. “Wh-what do you mean?” He asked, not understanding. His eyes darted around, finally landing back on Xephos. He was just trying to help. Why was everyone looking at him like he was a monster? It wasn’t his fault that sometimes things went wrong!

Suddenly his wrists were bound with holographic bands.  
“Well… There are certain steps we’re prepared to make.” Xephos began, fingering a remote that looked suspiciously space-like and ominous. “And this is how its starts... There’s a binding ceremony that will take your powers down a few notches.” Ridge merely raised an eyebrow, and looked down at the flimsy bands on his wrists. “And what, these little things will stop me?” He snorted, and flexed his wrists against the holographic bands. Surprisingly, they didn’t budge. He concentrated again, seeking to shatter them, but nothing happened. Ridge swallowed, looking up to meet the bright blue gaze of Xephos.“! I’m sorry… But this can’t keep happening.” Xephos said quietly. “Everyone’s agreed with me.” There were nods from various people.

Ridge’s face went pale, suddenly nervous. “You’d… I’d… But… I’m sorry…” He stopped levitating suddenly, his boots touching the ground with a loud thump. “I never meant for this to happen! Please!” He held up his hands in defeat. “You can’t take my powers!”  
Sips stepped forward suddenly. “You big dummy! You almost killed Sjin! If I had even half a chance I’d kill you right now.” His eyes narrowed, and the pale man stared at Ridge as if he could shoot death lasers from his eyes.  
“… I’m sorry? I never meant this to happen please!” Ridge said, the words tumbling out. “I’ll learn to control myself I promise!”  
“I’m sorry… Sjin’s farm is the last straw.” Xephos said. The spaceman’s face was impassive, but his bright blue eyes flickered, and for a moment he seemed regretful. But it passed quickly, his face smooth and hard as a riverstone.

“No… no wait.” A small voice interrupted. Sjin was standing on his own, left behind when Sips stepped forward. “Don’t I get a say in this?”  
There was a pause, and Ridgedog was unable to meet Sjin’s eyes. This would be bad, he knew it.  
“… Go ahead.” Honeydew said, and Xephos nodded.  
“Look, I know Ridge has been a little… exuberant lately, but his heart is in the right place.” Sjin said, his face still covered in dirt. “He only wanted to help! That’s always his intent, whether or not it turns out quite right.” Sips mumbled something that could have been “yeah yeah whatever you mothertrucker,” but was silenced with a look from Sjin. Ridge was silent, completely confused by Sjin’s support. Wasn’t this the man whose farm was just blown to smithereens?  
“That volcano? It would have erupted anyway! It was a good thing Ridge was there to help the village relocate, even if he set off the explosion in the first place.” Sjin explained. “And wasn’t Lomadia complaining she didn’t have enough to do?” He rounded to look at Xephos, who nodded slowly. “Well now she has all those owls to relocate to good homes!” Xephos scratched his boot on the ground and looked thoughtful.  
“But what about all the people he’s hurt?!” Honeydew chimed in suddenly, frowning.  
“I’m sorry about them.” Ridge said suddenly, “It was all an accident and I healed them afterward!”  
“Look,” Sjin said with finality, “I’m not too broken up about the farm. It was time to move on anyway. He shouldn’t be punished so harshly.” Sjin walked forward and placed a hand on Ridge’s shoulder.  
Sips frowned, and Honeydew still looked like he wanted to tackle Ridge and start pummeling him. It didn’t look like Sjin’s speech had helped much.

Lalna spoke up. “I propose a compromise.”  
Everyone looked at the blonde scientist.

“One: Ridge, you need to learn control. No more meddling in this world if it even has the teeny tiniest chance of hurting someone.” Lanla ticked this point off on one rubber-gloved hand. “Two: We won’t bind your powers if you can prove in a month’s time that you’ve gained better control.”  
Ridge bit his lip, brightening as he realized he could still have his powers.  
“Three: You have to go as far away as possible for that month.” Lalna finished. “You shouldn’t be able to be reached, except in cases of world melting emergency.”  
“Sounds fair enough.” Xephos spoke up. He looked at Ridge.  
“I agree to your terms.” Ridge said, looking around at everyone and making fierce eye contact. He would show them how controlled he could be!  
“Good. See you in a month.” Xephos nodded, and the holo-bands around Ridge’s wrists dissipated.  
With a snap of his fingers Ridge grinned and disappeared.

Sometimes, he thoughts about telling them.  
That month he spent away he learned control. Oh yes, he learned control. He knew he could never be so weak as to let them take his powers from him. So he grew stronger, more powerful, and he learned control. He learned it for them.  
But it all came at a price. A little drop in sanity, a little less humanity, how the hours and days flew by. But he was a demigod, and that was all that mattered. His power was the most important.  
When he came back, he was much better. Everyone could tell. There weren’t any more… “accidents.” (At least, not ones that could be traced directly to him). Everyone was ecstatic to have their old demigod back.

 

They never asked how he learned to harness his powers, to keep everything managed. So Ridge never tells.

 

It doesn’t mean he doesn’t think about it. Fantasize is more the correct term. The horrified comprehension, the terror, their puny attempts to bind his unlimited power.  
Blood magic. The darkest thing that exists in this world, and he was its master. The amount of control he had over every strand of magic was hilariously powerful, but he’d never again do something unintended to anyone. Every portion of power had come at a price. He’d spent that month away building his blood altar and sacrificing bits and pieces of his soul to bind the magic to him. Countless villagers lost their lives, and now in well of eternal suffering the villagers wailed and cried, and their bloody tears empowered him.

All this so he could have tea and Jaffas with these simple mortals.  
Sometimes he wonders why.

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place vaguely during the current series (as of 2014) with the flashback set just after the end of Tekkit. I see Ridgedog as a bit more naive and foolhardy in the flashback, before he's learned some things, and became a little more unhinged. There's also some implied spaceman!xephos, with the tech that keeps Ridge in check. After all, what is the antithesis of magic but technology?  
> Hopefully you enjoyed, thanks for reading.


End file.
